Please, let's keep it to HQ leaks. Camcord rips from the seminar that the guy hid up his crack don't really count unfortunately
Behind The Mask vs Hot Street
Price of Fame vs Chicago 1945
Slave to the Rhythm vs Family Thing
Much Too Soon vs Faces
Xscape vs Can't Get Your Weight Off Me
Best of Joy vs I Am A Loser
You can sub out and make the case for others. Just again, stick to HQ.
Hot Street (One of the best outtakes PERIOD and SHOULD have replaced Baby Be Mine on the album! I said what I said!
Price Of Fame (I strongly like Chicago 1945 from a songwriting standpoint but the concept feels VERY unfinished and whilst catchy and great vocally, it leaves something to be desired. Price Of Fame however is also a concept that feels largely unfinished but better structured and I enjoy how Michael blatantly ripped off his own track Billie Jean to create this. It works though and is very interesting to say the least.
Slave To The Rhythm (Family Thing has a nice groove and chorus but is obviously not finished by a long shot. Though judging the groove it has, I’d have to still go with STTR. However I will go out on a limb here and say the Tricky Stewart mix from 2010 is my favorite (Sans Bieber… eww)
Much Too Soon (One of the most beautiful songs Michael has ever done. Feels like a country song meets a classical song.)
Can’t Get Your Weight Off Me (I know I’ll get lynched for this opinion but Xscape (both versions) have always bored the piss out of me. Great vocals but not much else going for it in my opinion. CGYWOM on the other hand has rapidly become one of my favorites! It should have been on Vince without question! Could have replaced Privacy since it draws comparisons to that both melody wise and subject matter to a degree. One obviously being escaping media and one escaping a toxic relationship)
Best Of Joy (Again one of Michael’s most beautiful songs and I’m glad he didn’t put out The Toy because this song needed to marinate and Neff-U did such a good job on this track and I very much think Michael would have approved the mix! I Am A Loser is a very interesting concept but ultimately not much else. It’s catchy and had potential, that and I Was A Loser, nevertheless it didn’t have the attention needed to grow.
However my favorite released outtakes are probably:
Another Day (Truly a hidden Gem! Lenny and Michael make magic and I’d still love to hear the full original mix without DJ jackass yelling over the snippet.)
Blue Gangster
I’m So Blue (Incredible song!)
She’s Trouble (Obviously a few of these we heard long before they were “released” but this is one I think should’ve been on a follow up album before Bad but after Thriller)
Got The Hots (One of my favorite tracks ever! Those harmonies are magical!)
Monkey Business (Funky as a mug!)
We’ve Had Enough
Leaked Tracks Now:
Work That Body
If You Don’t Love Me
1987 SOPYHO
Days in Gloucestershire (Very unfinished! But so beautiful!!)
